During a visit by the Saudi interior minister to London, it is understood the UK government will raise the issue of Raif Badawi, the imprisoned liberal blogger sentenced to public flogging in Saudi Arabia.

Badawi, 31, was jailed for 10 years in January. As part of his
sentence he also faces 1,000 lashes, administered in 50 lashes
per week, for “insulting Islam through electronic
channels” and “going beyond the realm of
obedience.”

The blogger had agitated for free speech on his Free Saudi
Liberals website.

During the Saudi minister’s three-day visit to the UK he will
meet with Defense Secretary Michael Fallon and then Prime
Minister David Cameron on Wednesday. He will also meet with Home
Secretary Theresa May on Thursday.

Amnesty International UK’s head of policy and government affairs,
Allan Hogarth, told The Guardian: “UK officials have been far
too reticent for far too long over Saudi Arabia’s horrendous
human rights record. They’ve effectively been wearing a muzzle
when it comes to Saudi human rights abuses.

“Under the new ruler, King Salman, public executions have
continued apace, while the free speech activist Raif Badawi
remains in jail and is still at risk of being flogged.

“During this trip Prince Nayef should be left in no doubt
that the UK wants to see Raif Badawi freed and wider human rights
reforms initiated in Saudi Arabia at the earliest possible
moment.”

Cameron traveled to Saudi Arabia in January following the death
of King Abdullah to pay his respects to the absolute monarch. He
has also defended Britain’s close ties with Saudi Arabia despite
human rights concerns.

The PM’s spokesman said: “We have consistently raised
concerns that we have, and will continue to do so at every level,
because no issues are off the table.

“We have been very clear about those views, including in the
ongoing case that many people have in mind, and we will continue
to raise that.”

Badawi’s wife, Ensaf Haidar, told Amnesty International that Raif
was “in a lot of pain.”

“He said that when he was being flogged he took the pain
silently and rose above it, so that history will know that he did
not react to their punishment. His health is poor and he cannot
take another round of lashes.”

She has now called on the Austrian government to close a
Saudi-financed dialogue center in Vienna – the controversial King
Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious
and Intercultural Dialogue – and to help end her husband’s
suffering.